Compartmented squeeze dispensing device



May 9, 1967 J. P. MODDERNO 3,318,483

GOMPARTMENTED SQUEEZE DISPENSING DEVICE |4 INVENIOR JOHN P. MODDERNO May 9, 1967 J. P. MODDERNO 3,318,483

COMPARTMENTED SQUEEZE DISPENSING DEVICE Filed June 13, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR JOHN F.' MODDERNO ATTORNEYS May 9, 1967 J. P. MoDDERNo 3,318,483

COMPARTMENTED SQUEEZE DISPENSING DEVICE Filed June 13, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet .3

INVENTOR JOHN R MODDERNO ATTORNEYS United States Patent fifice 3,318,483 la'tented May 9, 1967 3,318,483 CGMPARTMENTED SQUEEZE DISPENSING Baltimore, Md., a corporation of Maryland Filed June 13, 1966, Ser. No. 557,181 7 Claims. (Cl. 222-136) This application is a continuation-in-part of my application for Letters Patent Ser. No. 431,420, filed Feb. 9, 1965, now Patent No. 3,255,926.

The present invention relates to a compartmented squeeze dispensing device for storing separately two or more ingredients of a multi-component system. More particularly, this invention relates to a dispensing device in which two or more materials are stored separately in a dual container assembly, one container residing within the other, and in which a dispensing dual closure is attached to the containers to form separate compartments in the device so that the ingredients of one compartment can be combined with the ingredients of the other shortly before dispensing from the device by rotating a portion of the closure to disengage the inner container and open it and permit communication between the compartments.

It will be appreciated that there are various compositions which cannot be marketed in pre-mixed form and therefore must be maintained separate until use is desired. Such compositions as hair dyes, foods, insecticides, paint compositions, and other multi-component nonpressurized systems of the type wherein chemical reactions take place upon mixing of the components, may be advantageously packaged in the compartmented squeeze dispensing devices of the present invention. Compositions ofthe above type require special packaging in order to maintain the ingredients distinct during shipment and in storage prior to sale, and yet allow the ingredients to be brought together in a convenient manner when their use is desired.

The present invention is directed to a squeeze dispensing device for all types of compositions of the above mentioned general character which must be mixed in situ when use is desired. It is essential in the commercialization of such products that the reactive ingredients be held in states of inactivity for an indefinite period of time to account for shipping and storage periods, to provide an effective product when needed.

The dispensing device of this invention meets these needs by providing an outer container for the storage of one ingredient, and an inner container containing another ingredient positione-d within said outer container. The inner container has a closure which may be opened as will be described more fully hereinafter to enable the ingredients to be mixed prior to dispensing the composition for its intended use.

One of the primary objects of the present invention is to provide an improved compartmented squeeze dispensing device suitable for packaging multi-component compositions, the ingredients of which should be separately stored until use.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a compartmented dispensing device having inner and outer containers for storing separated ingredients in which means facilitating the mixing of the separated ingredients are operatively connected to the discharge nozzle assembly closure of the dispensing device.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a compartmented dispensing device which can be produced efciently and economically, the outer container of which may be made of a squeezable plastic type material.

Another object is to provide a capped dual container in which the cap threadably engages the lips of an outer and an inner container to form a sealed compartmentalized dispensing device, the cap of the dual container having a portion of it rotatable so that the inner container can be Unthreaded from the cap and its ingredients mixed with the ingredients in the space between the inner and outer container.

A still further object is to provide a compartmented plastic squeeze type container device for maintaining materials separated until their use is desired in combined form.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the eX- amination of the drawings, the following detailed description, and the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational cross-sectional view of a compartmented dispensing device in accordance with the teachings of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken along the line 2 2 of FIGURE 1 showing the plastic sides of the outer container yfinger depressed inwardly to Ihold the inner container when it is desired to unscrew the inner container from the closure for mixing its contents with the contents in the outer container;

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of the container illustrated in F'IGURE l;

FIGURE 4 is an exploded View of the dual container closure, the inner container, and the outer container;

FIGURE 5 is a bottom view of the closure shown in FIGURE 4; v

FIGURE 6 is a view in elevation showing the components of the device shown in FIGURE 4 in assembled position;

FIGURE 7 is a horizontal cross-sectional view, simulating that taken on a line 2 2 of FIGURE 1, of a container of the type shown in FIGURE 4 in which the cross-sectional configuration is oblong with rounded corners; and

FIGURE 8 is a horizontal cross-sectional view, simula-ting that taken on a line 2 2 of FIGURE l, of a container of the type shown in FIGURE 4 in which the cross-sectional configuration is squarish with rounded corners.

Referring now to the drawings, FIGURE l illustrates a typical compartmented device of the present invention in which an outer container 10, which may be formed of a plastic material, has a continuous side wall 12, a closed bottom 14, and a lip 16 which defines an opening in the top of the container, the side of the container in the area of the lip having external threads on the outer surface thereof.

A dispensing closure or cap 2G is provided with a flat portion 22 which extends into a downwardly positioned skirt portion 24 in the form of a ring having internal threads 26 adapted to engage and be threaded on external threads 18 of container 1t). The center of the flat portion 22 has a headed circular edge 28 which defines an opening therein. Positioned within the opening in the fiat portion 22 is a rotatable dispensing discharge nozzle member 30 defining a discharge conduit nozzle 32 which provides a discharge path from the inner surface of the closure 20 to the end of the nozzle member 30.

The outer surface of the t-op of the discharge nozzle member had four wing-like extensions 34, equally spaced and extending laterally outward therefrom for effecting rotation of the nozzle member. The lower portion of the nozzle member has an edge-engaging flange 36 with a concave annular ring depression 38 therein adapted to engage the beaded circular edge 28. The flange 36 extends into and forms an integral fiat portion 40. The portion of the nozzle member is so constructed that it and the depression 3S surrounds beaded edge 28 except because of precision construction of the beaded edge 28 and that portion of the nozzle member contacting it and forming a tight seal therebetween even when the nozzle member is rotated by wing portions 34. The discharge nozzle 30 may be provided with a removable tip cap member 48 which is removed when it is desired to dispense material from it (see FIGURE l).

Adapted to threadably engage the nozzle member 40 is an inner container 50 which, when assembled, is positioned withi-n outer container 10. In the present illustration, the inner container is in the form oi a widemouth container and may be made of plastic or any other suitable material. The inner container 50 has a side wall 52,. a bottom S4 integral therewith, and a neck portion 56. In the neck portion are threads 58 adapted to threadably engage threads 26 in the liange portion of skirt 24. It will be appreciated that when nozzle member 48 operatively engages threads 58 on neck 56v and the closure 20 threaded to container 10, an ingredient within Vthe inner container 50 is maintained separate from an ingredient within outer container (see FIG- URE 1).

Thus,V an ingredient can be placed in inner container 50, the container threaded to nozzle member 40 to form a sealed compartment assembly. Container 50 is then placed in outer container 10 after the desired ingredient is placed in the outer container, a-nd screwing dispensing closure onto lip 16 to form a new and novel squeeze dispensing device which is capable of maintaining two ingredients separate from each other until use of the combination of the ingredients is desired.

It will be appreciated that the dispensing closure may be formed of any suitable material which permits the assembly of the closure with a rotatable nozzle member in it.V Also, the portion between the flange 36 and the flat portion 40 can have a disconnecting means therein to effect the assembly of the nozzle member through Y the opening delined by beaded edge V28,V particularly if a rigid or semi-rigid type of material is to be used for the nozzle member. v

It will be appreciated that many Vtypes of material may be used to form the closure, for example, nylon, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, polypropylene, ABS-type polymers, and other rigid and non-rigid materials.

FIGURES 7 and 8 illustrate additional embodiments of the present invention in that the -inner and outer containers have a different cross-sectional configuration. For example, FIGURE 7 shows a at type outer container 60 and a corresponding inner container 62, both with curved sides so that a space is provided between the containers when assembled. FIGURE 8 illustrates a square type of outer container 70 with a corresponding inner container 72, both having fillets to reduce sharp corners. It Will be appreciated that in these types of outer andV inner container coniigurations, there is no need to have the outer container wall of a pliable plastic :so that it can be linger-deformed to prevent the inner container from turning when the discharge nozzle member 40 is'turned by wing members 34 so as to unscrew the inner container and allow it to be dropped in the outer container to expose its open end, thereby effecting mixing of the contents of both containers, The outer containers 60 and 70' do not need to be compressed to hold inner containers 62 and 72 respectively because the turning of the nozzle member 40 will cause the'inner container to press against the inner wall of the outer containerV thus allowing the unscrewing of the nozzle member 4t) while the closure remains in tightly sealed relationship with the outer container 10.

Conversely, it will be seen that in containers of this invention in which the inner container is formed so that it can turn 360 within the outer container without binding, the outer container is preferably formed of a material so that its wall can be iinger-deformed to hold the inner container when the nozzle member 40 is being detached from said inner container 50.

It will be appreciated that many types of lock-sealing means may be used to attach the dual closure 20 to containers it) and 50, other than by screw threads. For example, the outer container 10 can be crimped sealed, welded, heat sealed or the like while the inner container 50 can be held by a screw lock or clip or other suitable attaching means which when the nozzle member is turned, rotated or otherwise moved will cause the inner container to disengage and present its open end to the confines of the outer container.

In operation, the outer container 10 is partially iilled with an ingredient or mixture of compatible ingredients. The inner container 50 is filled with another ingredient and the iilled inner container is assembled to the discharge nozzle member 4G. The inner container 50 is then placed in container 10 a-nd the closure assembled to the container by threads26 and 18 to produce a squeeze dispensing device having diierent ingredients sealed in an outer container and in an inner container. In this condition, the dispensing device may be stored until use is desired, whereby rotation of the nozzle member 40 while iinger-depressing the pliable wall 12 of container 10 effects communication between the two compartments and a mixing of the ingredients within the containers in the manner described above (see FIGURE 2 for nger-deformable 60 illustration).

Although the present invention has been described with particularity with reference to preferred embodiments, it will be appreciated, after understanding the invention, that various changes and modiiications can be made therein without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Accordingly, it is intended to encompass all changes and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.V

What is claimed is:

1. A compartmented dispensing device for separately storing ingredients of a multi-component system until useY Vis desired comprising, a resilient outer container having an opening in one end thereof, an inner container having an opening in one end thereof, said inner container adapted to tit inside said outer container to form a compartment between the containers, closure means adapted to be attached to the open end of each container, said closure'means attached to said inner container including a rotatable discharge means therein communicating with said inner container so that rotation of said discharge means disengages said inner container from its closure means when a portion of said outer container is compressed to hold said inner container so as to eiect communication between said inner and outer containers.

2. The dispensing device Of claim 1 in which said closure means has dual means for attaching to said outer and inner containers, said inner container attaching means being rotatable with respect to said outer container attaching means.

3. The dispensing device of claim 2 in which the wall of said outer container is ngerdei`ormable so that the wall can be compressed to hold the inner container stationary when said inner container attaching means is being rotated to release said inner container.

4. The dispensing device of claim 1 in which said closure means has a turnable locking means for attaching said inner container to its closure means and said outer container is sealed to said closure means.

5. A mixing and dispensing device adapted to retain at least two ingredients isolated from each other during storage and arranged to permit mixing of the same prior to dispensing for use as a mixed product, comprising in combination a resilient outer container having an opening, a smaller inner container within said outer container, a closed end for the outer container, a discharge nozzle means mounted in said closed end, said discharge nozzle means having an appendage at the inner end thereof provided with a locking surface means adapted to engage and maintain the inner container in a iixed storage position within said outer container, said discharge nozzle means and its appendage being mounted in said closed end to permit rotatable motion with respect to said outer container, whereby compressing a portion of said outer container to hold said inner container upon rotation of the discharge nozzle means and its appendage separate the inner container from the appendage and permit communication between the contents of the inner container with that in the outer container with the resulting mixing of the ingredients, said container being adapted to be emptied through said discharge nozzle means by squeezing said resilient outer container.

6. A mixing and dispensing device adapted to retain at least two ingredients isolated from each other during storage and arranged to permit mixing of the same prior to dispensing for use as a mixed product, comprising in combination a resilient outer container having an opening, a smaller inner container within said outer container, a closed end for the outer container, a discharge nozzle means rotatably mounted in said closed end, said nozzle means having an appendage at the inner end thereof provided with means to lock-seal and maintain the inner container in a fixed storage position within said outer container, said nozzle means with its appendage being mounted in said closed end to permit rotatable motion with respect to said outer container, said outer container being resilient to deform and prevent unlimited rotation of the inner container upon rotation of the nozzle means with respect to said outer container whereby upon rotation of the nozzle means and its appendage the inner container is separated from the appendage so as to permit communication between the contents of the inner container and the outer container with the resulting mixing of the ingredients, said container being adapted to be emptied through said discharge nozzle means by pressure deformation exerted upon the wall of said resilient outer container.

7. A mixing and dispensing device adapted to retain at least two ingredients isolated from each other during storage and arranged to permit mixing of the same prior to dispensing for use as a mixed product, comprising in combination a resilient outer container having an opening, a smaller inner container within said outer container, a closed end for the outer container, a discharge nozzle means rotatably mounted in said closed end and extending outwardly thereof, said nozzle means having an appendage at the inner end thereof provided with a threaded surface adapted to engage and maintain the inner container in a xed storage position within said container and near its other outer end means for rotating said discharge nozzle with its appendage being mounted in said closed end so as to permit rotatable motion with respect to said outer container, said outer and inner containers being of a shape to prevent unlimited rotation of the inner container and when a portion of said outer container is compressed to facilitate holding said inner container stationary so that upon rotation of the nozzle means with respect to said outer container the inner container can be separated from the appendage and permit communication between the contents of the inner container with that in the outer container and the resulting mixing of the ingredients, said containers being adapted to be emptied through said nozzle means by squeeze pressure exerted upon the resilient outer container.

No references cited.

SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Primary Examiner. 

1. A COMPARTMENTED DISPENSING DEVICE FOR SEPARATELY STORING INGREDIENTS OF A MULTI-COMPONENT SYSTEM UNTIL USE IS DESIRED COMPRISING, A RESILIENT OUTER CONTAINER HAVING AN OPENING IN ONE END THEREOF, AN INNER CONTAINER HAVING AN OPENING IN ONE END THEREOF, SAID INNER CONTAINER ADAPTED TO FIT INSIDE SAID OUTER CONTAINER TO FORM A COMPARTMENT BETWEEN THE CONTAINERS, CLOSURE MEANS ADAPTED TO BE ATTACHED TO THE OPEN END OF EACH CONTAINER, SAID CLOSURE MEANS ATTACHED TO SAID INNER CONTAINER INCLUDING A ROTATABLE DISCHARGE MEANS THEREIN COMMUNICATING WITH SAID INNER CONTAINER SO THAT ROTATION OF SAID DISCHARGE MEANS DISENGAGES SAID INNER CONTAINER FROM ITS CLOSURE MEANS WHEN A PORTION OF SAID OUTER CONTAINER IS COMPRESSED TO HOLD SAID INNER CONTAINER SO AS TO EFFECT COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SAID INNER AND OUTER CONTAINERS. 